BCVS in our local support and development role with the voluntary and community sector in Bassetlaw are engaged in many formal and informal partnerships and networks to improve outcomes for the local community.

We seek to facilitate ongoing dialogue and collaboration to improve service delivery and co-ordination across the District of Bassetlaw.

Bassetlaw Local Strategic Partnership

The Bassetlaw Local Strategic Partnership is a joining of organisations that operate within the Bassetlaw district.  These organisations originate from the public sector, voluntary and community sector and from the business sector.  Representatives from all of these organisations have undertaken to have regular meetings to discuss issues around service delivery in the District and how this can be improved.  It will also provide an improved mechanism for effectively engaging the local community in decision making in the District.

The Government set up Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) to encourage key organisations to work together more closely. LSPs are key to tackling problems, which need resolving in a number of different ways by different agencies. Local partners, working through the LSP, are expected to take many of the major decisions about priorities for their local area that will add-value over and above the services currently delivered by providers.

The setting up of the Partnership began during 2002 and was a mixture of new groups, and the amalgamation of relevant existing groups into the structure.   The Children & Young People’s Group was added following the ascent of the Children’s Act 2004 and the creation of Children’s Services departments in county and unitary local authorities across England. In addition, we are in the process of trailing a merged Community Safety Partnership.

One of the main functions of the Community Strategy is to regenerate the District and our communities by working in partnership with local public service providers, private sector organisations, voluntary sector agencies, and local residents.

Bassetlaw Local Strategic Partnership is key to this process of joint working and has an important role to play in:

• Identifying the appropriate range of Sub-Groups,
• Identifying issues that cut across the Sub-Groups,
• Facilitating effective communication between Sub-Groups, and
• Promoting closer partnership working.

Link to Website

 

Bassetlaw Partnership for Health

BCVS hosts the Partnership for Health officer, Anne Cater. Anne states “ The main aim of my role is to help to deliver improved Health and Wellbeing outcomes for the people of Bassetlaw, working closely with the Public Health, health Promotion and Commissioning within NHS Bassetlaw

BPfH delivers the Health priority areas of the Local strategic Partnership and is made up of
members from NHS Bassetlaw, BCVS and Adult Social Care amongst others.

 

Generations Together: An event was organised in November 2009 to look at how intergenerational projects could be delivered in the district. An Action Plan was devised and some projects are already up and running. Anne worked closely with a group of retired people who wanted to form a Steel Band – to teach themselves and to pass on their learning to young people. “Steel Pantastic” formed and received over £8000 from the Big Lottery to fund the project. ‘Steel Pantastic’ already have some ‘gigs’ booked!

Other project work the Partnership has been involved with:

* Voluntary Sector Health Forum
* Wellbeing At Work – Workplace Health Award Scheme
* Bassetlaw Elderly Action Network (BEAN)
* North Notts Mental Health Partnership
* WRVS Home From Hospital Scheme
* Active Bassetlaw – Sports and Physical Activity Partnership
* Staying Well – Expert Patient Programme
* Neighbourhood Delivery Steering Group
* Nottinghamshire Carer’s Advisory Group
* NHS Bassetlaw End of Life Strategy
* Bassetlaw Men’s Health Group
* FAST – Stroke Awareness Training
* Bassetlaw Over Fifties Forum (BOFF)
* NHS Bassetlaw Modernisation Board
* Nottinghamshire County LINK
* Bassetlaw Financial Inclusion Forum
* Smiley Milers – Bircotes Walking Group
* REDP Regional Involvement
* Polish Cultural Awareness Training
* Citizens Advice Bureau Welfare Benefits Training
* Putting People First – Personalisation Agenda

 

LSP Stronger Communities Sub-group

The chair of this working group is currently our Director, Geraldine Pearce.

LINK to action plan

The aim of this plan is to set out what actions will be taken by the BLSP through the Stronger Communities Group and its partners in Bassetlaw to help to deliver the priorities, targets and outcomes of the Nottinghamshire Local Area Agreement (LAA) and the Bassetlaw Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS).

In particular, the work of the Stronger Communities Group has an important role to play in helping to deliver improvements in community cohesion and participation – this is Priority 3 of the Notts LAA.  The Bassetlaw SCS has assigned the Stronger Communities Group with responsibility for helping to deliver improvements against four specific indicators of the Notts LAA:

• NI 1 - % who believe people from different backgrounds get on well together in their area
• NI 4 - % of people who feel they can affect decisions affecting their locality
• N1 7 - environment for a thriving third sector
• N1 8 - adult participation in sport
• Notts specific indicator for enriching culture

 

Bassetlaw District Council/BCVS Link Officer Group

Bassetlaw District Council/ BCVS: Link Officer Initiative

Role of Link Officer

• To be the Council’s contact point for the Community Group or organisation
• To have regular dialogue with the Community Group or organisation
• To increase the Council’s understanding of the Community Group or organisation
• To provide the Community Group or organisation with access to timely information on request
• To share information with the Community Group or organisation in order to improve service delivery
• To take positive action on any key issues that are raised from the Community Group or organisation that impact on Council service delivery
• To support the Community Group or organisation in having a better understanding of the council and the services it provides
• To work with the Community Group or organisation to shape the Council’s annual consultation/engagement plan
• To identify any key events which occur within the Community Group or organisation that can feature as an engagement opportunity in the Council’s annual events plan
• To participate in 2 meetings per year where link officers and community groups or organisations get together to improve engagement

Social Welfare Action Network SWAN

Aim

An independent group, working to ensure positive, outcomes through linking in with strategic bodies, sharing good practise and campaigning on social policy issues that impact on Social Welfare Issues and vulnerable people.

Objectives

1. To Develop a strong vibrant 3^rd sector forum through the enhancement of  knowledge and promotion of good practise across the voluntary sector by:

• Keeping the sector updated on present and future policy changes, in particular around social justice, social exclusion and homelessness
• Identifying future policy changes and co-ordinating a unified response
• Inviting key figures to address the group regarding issues around social injustice and social/financial exclusion
• Providing a forum from which to share knowledge, information and good practise
  
  

2.   To influence policy and decision-makers by:

• Using the experience gained within the sector including information and data obtained through project monitoring and research
• Advancing and supporting policy change and making the case for specific amendments to existing policy, in order to improve the lives of homeless people and the wider community
• Campaigning on a strategic level and contributing to responses to Central and  Local Government consultations
  
  

3. To ensure the group works towards local strategic priorities thereby maximising funding opportunities